- English translation
What begins in secret will eventually come to light.
- Literal wording
She who conceives at night gives birth by day.
- Meaning and lesson
The proverb uses the image of a pregnancy that begins unseen at night but ends in a birth by day. Figuratively, it suggests that some matters, however privately they begin, are destined to become visible.
Its central idea is inevitability: when something is certain to emerge, efforts to keep it hidden will ultimately fail. In settings where reproductive imagery is unsuitable, a neutral metaphor may convey the same point.
- When it is used
Use it when discussing a matter someone hopes to keep out of view even though its emergence is unavoidable. Because the saying’s image is specifically about conception and birth, choose a neutral metaphor instead where reproductive imagery would be inappropriate.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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